G-HEMS
 

I was just browsing through the June issue of PAN and noticed an article regarding the posibility of G-HEMS/6009 returning to service, this time with the Great North Air Ambulance service. I may be mistaken but the way I read it G-HEMS/6009 is going to go to the RLH first ? :confused:

If this is the case, what has happened to G-EHMS? I can no longer see it for sale on Michael Wheatley's website, has it finally been sold?

I appreciate any information anyone can provide. :ok:

cptjim,

Believe they are still using G-EHMS and will be for sometime as there is no funding for a replacement.

FNW

Apologies if I wrote it confusingly.

Just to clarify, there is an existing medical cooperation connection between London and Great North.

That is only a background comment to the news that Great North have arranged a lease on a newer airframe that happens to be the old G-HEMS.

As far as I am aware the rush to ditch EHMS has now subsided and it is no longer on the market. I would like to think it is because the spares situation is getting better but I really do not know.

Thanks for clarifying, I look forward to seeing the dauphin back in the air over the UK when I get back from the US.

Regards

I thought G-HEMS went off to sunny islands where it was proving very reliable as a tourist charter??

Yes, but as this thread is taken out of context as it were the rest of the story is Bazan, an operator in the sunny bits, took it and has now tired of it ....

902 Explorer
 

I thought they wished for a EC 145

Yes thats right but the money was not there and the value of EHMS was very depressed.

They did have some minor issues with the handling of the Explorer onto their postage stamp rooftop pad and of course the spares situation but in the end the pressure was taken off the issue by the sheer inability to finance the desire. Overall, downtime aside, EHMS works as it is supposed to its just that they decided they wanted out mainly because of the downtime issues.

A lot of the pressure was induced by the late Chief Pilot Alistair McGill and as you probably know he moved on...

G-HEMS
 

And then a low loader operator stuffed G-HEMS into a bridge and took off the tail....... :ugh:

Mir999,

Can you elaberate on your post abit more please?

Bajan Helicopters, out of Barbados, operated 6009, (G-HEMS) between 2002 and 2005 for the British/Montserrat Governments as an airline and multi-role ship on the volcano. With the coming online of the airport in Montserrat the contract came to an end and it was shipped off to Aberdeen. Unfortunately last I heard was right - the driver of the lowloader it was on miscalculated height of a bridge under which it was passing and tore the tail off at the attachment points.

OUCH!
 

That's gotta hurt.....for the heli and for the low loader driver! :\

Do you know if it was written off?

I understand the 6009 airframe is an insurance wright off. Lets hope they donate it a museum like Duxford and restore it to the Daily Express colour scheme it started life as in it's HEMS role. It is an important piece of history note to end up on the scap heap!!

The chances of the airframe being important enough for preservation are slim. It seems the value of the metal usually outweighs the heartstrings.

Think back to all the known firsts that have slipped away into the sands of time. Ambulance aside... police aircraft...

Fixed wing aside [there are some preserved] there have been a number of Hughes 269s that were police firsts in one way or another, now gone to scrap, there are yet some Enstrom F28s that might still fit, the Bell 222 fleet to Portugal, the first police 355 BOOV leaving soon.... but still there is a chance that one of the early Bolkows might represent the ambulance line eventually.

Great idea.
There are one or two exellent documentaries;) and plenty of still pictures that both reflect its roll and mark significant moments in Londons history that would compliment the static display.


What is the airframe worth?

Mickjoebill

It's been a sad year with the loss of Alistair and now 6009 (G-HEMS).

I miss the high pitched whine of the Dauphin over the city.

R.I.P. :(

I know it was sometime before June 2, but when and where was the damage to 6009? I assume it is suggested that it was being low loaded from Aberdeen to Inverness [PDG] prior to being equipped for service with Great North?

1730hrs 28/6 A rock solid source now tells me 6009 lives on.

G-HEMS road accident
 

anyone with the date this took place?

G-HEMS Sa356N being badly damaged in a road accident, when the truck driver got the "low bridge" calculations a bit wrong. One source is quoting it written off, but for the likely impact speed (and the fact it was moving in a straight line, rather than in 3D) I doubt it, frankly. The more-likely-correct report is "tail and boom separated from fuselage after tail too high and hit
bridge" It appears the accident was on or before June 2nd. While this road accident did occur, the damage is repairable and it is already in Inverness being worked on.

Story I heard is that it was a freshly imported 365 (not G-HEMS) just off ship in south England, en-route to Inverness.

Eurocopter having to fabricate new tail section! :ok:

This has been covered in a different thread I think, a little while ago.

Perhaps someone could provide a link?

The machine was formally G-Hems but has been in Antiga for a few years, as said the accident was a while ago now;)

G HEMS
 

The tail fin damage has effectively been repaired already and G-HEMS is now undergoing inspections etc. This aircraft will probably be back in service within 6 weeks.

Of course it might have been a bit sooner had the lorry driver paid a bit more attention to where he was going or what he was towing :\ - then again perhaps that's why he's a lorry driver.

G-HEMS lives on....
 

http://www.policeaviationnews.com/Ac...NewsJuly06.pdf

Full story on page 12.

Glad this ol' bird is going to be back in the air, I still miss seeing her over london!!

New addition to pilot's notes, 'Check your 6!'

is the date of the not so low loader accident known by someone?

Can anybody provide photos of the refurbishment, would be great to see.

TiP:ouch:

News of G-HEMS & Picture
 

We noticed that there was a discussion about G-HEMS a little while back, so I thought I'd post the most up to date news.

G-HEMS is now at PDG Helicopters and is undergoing a rebuild. It is not quite finished yet, but there is an image on the following page

http://www.pdg-helicopters.co.uk/base.htm

As you can see it is now in the livery of The Great North Air Ambulance.

Kind regards

PDG Helicopters

OMG Cabair Heli's have a knackered old 355 in the same colours.................................

So is it still bound for Cumbria? And have they got a base with fuel sorted yet?

Thanks....
 

Thanks so much for posting the pic, I have fond memories of G-HEMS and it's great to see her restored to such great condition.

Kind regards

Jim :ok:

Great Machine! Here's a shot when we used to fly it in Montserrat.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2.../fon_shot4.jpg

Spent a while with the London Fire briagde, saw G-HEMS often. I really think that's what inspired me to start to fly choppers. Always wanted to return to the UK to fly HEMS,or for thr Police, but always held back by the exams. I'm not that cleaver to study all that now. Real shame.... maybe one day...:confused:

Just found another pic of G-HEMS on the PDG website. :ok:

http://www.etribes.com/sites/etribes...es/G-HEMS1.jpg

Picture copyright of PDG Helicopters.

Just seen that the original link no longer shows G-HEMS in the workshop, so here is the picture for those that didn't get to see it.

http://www.etribes.com/sites/etribes...ges/G-HEMS.jpg

Once again, picture Copyright of PDG Helicopters. :ok:

is that the flightworks/heliair hangar?

Looks lovely, but still amazing how the great north air ambulance had to close the blyth unit due to lack of funds:suspect: , and can't re open it due to lack of funds, but can manage to replace the bolkow with G-HEMS :rolleyes:

The Hanger Is PDG's in Inverness i think, and i know they have been flight testing it a fair amount recently so must be nearly done if not already. I have heard it coming and going as i have been flying about Inverness, and she looks even better than in the pics.
:O

G-HEMS is being featured in City Hospital Special on BBC 1, 10.00am each morning this week,following the work of The Great North Air Ambulance Team.

Regards

Barshifter

Why not try (G-INFO aircraft databse) its a great source of what is current and the status of same on the UK register?